1. No matter what happens today in the 18-hole playoff, Rocco Mediate is a winner. If he wins, it’s the all-time David vs. Goliath “instant classic” upset special. If he loses, at least he gets to walk 18 holes with the greatest player in the history of the game and soak up the well-deserved applause-tribute from the fans on hand. Mediate’s play in this year’s U.S. Open just proves you don’t have to hit it 320 yards off the tee to be competitive at the game’s highest level.

2. I voted for Raymond Berry in today’s King of Baltimore Sports tournament match-up between Berry and Mike Flanagan.

3. I made another wager with Nestor last week about the O’s. Call me “Mr. Optimist” — I bet him another chinese lunch that the Birds will be within 6 games of first place at the All-Star break.

7. I was going to watch the College Baseball World Series yesterday — then I decided I’d do something more exciting…so I went out and cut my lawn.

8. He’s a great interviewer and all, but Bob Costas is HORRIBLE in his role with NBC at the U.S. Open. I’m sorry, but give me a half-decent on-air guy who loves golf (like Rich Lerner of The Golf Channel) and he’s always going to be better than a Hall of Fame broadcaster (which Costas is, admittedly) who clearly doesn’t know a whole lot about the players, the game or its history.

9. Quick, name 5 players on the Oakland A’s. Yeah, I couldn’t do it either. Billy Beane for President. Really, I’m starting to think Billy Beane might be a capable of running our country — he’s been awfully good running the A’s.

10. The Ravens will miss Jon Ogden a lot. You’ll see just how good he was this year, trust me.

11. My bracket in the Toyota Live Web King of Baltimore Sports tournament has Jim Palmer beating Cal Ripken, Jr. and Johnny Unitas beating Brooks Robinson in the Final 4 — with Palmer beating Unitas to be Baltimore’s Sports King.

12. If I’m Paul Azinger, I have to give Rocco Mediate some serious consideration for the Ryder Cup, particularly because you can set-up the golf course to your liking as the “home team”.

13. It’s VERY early and I have the right to change my mind before the start of the NFL season, but I’m calling a San Diego-Dallas Super Bowl in 2008. San Diego beats New England in the AFC Championship and Dallas beats New Orleans.

14. The Tigers are now 32-37. I gave up on them earlier, but they’re clearly back in the AL Central race.

15. I’ve said this for most of the season and I’m still seeing it this way, so I’ll continue to make the point: I don’t think Dave Trembley has done a very good job with his in-game pitching decisions this year.

16. So far, no David Ortiz, no problem for the Red Sox. But, if he’s out for the year, they’ll have a battle on their hands to make it back to the World Series.

17. Speaking of Boston, the Celtics win Game 6 and sew up the title. Good for them.

18. I’m sort of glad I wasn’t around last week for the Gary Gait controversy. Based on a lot of stuff I read at WNST.net, though, a lot of you should be ashamed of yourselves…on BOTH sides of the argument.

19. The old Milwaukee Brewers logo with the “MB” that looks like a baseball glove is the best logo in the history of sports.